Cloth Cap remains the clear 4/1 favourite for the 2021 Randox Health Grand National after the final declared field of 40 and four reserves were revealed for the extended 4m 2f Aintree spectacular on Saturday, April 10 (5.15pm). The nine-year-old is trained by Jonjo O’Neill who saddled Don’t Push It to a famous victory under Sir A P McCoy in 2010. Herc carries the famous green and yellow quartered silks of owner Trevor Hemmings who is seeking a record fourth win in the world’s greatest chase following Hedgehunter (2005), Ballabriggs (2011) and Many Clouds (2015).
Cloth Cap has been transformed since being fitted with cheekpieces and ridden by Tom Scaudamore, running out the ultra impressive wide margin winner of the 3m 2f Grade 3 Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury in November before following up with a stylish success in the Listed 2m 7f Premier Chase at Kelso earlier this month. On each occasion he has raced at the head of affairs and jumped superbly. He is due to get a huge kile in the weights in the future and is officially 14lb “well-in” at the weights. It makes Cloth Cap a worthy market leader and the one they all have to beat in my book.
Scudamore described him as “a thrill to ride” ahead of his bid to win the world’s greatest steeplechase for the first time. He said: “This season has been fantastic and Cloth Cap has been a tremendous thrill to ride. He keeps going from strength to strength and is a worthy favourite for the race. I am really excited by it all. In any other race he would be much shorter than 4/1. It’s a very privileged position to be in to be riding the favourite and I would much rather be riding the favourite than under the radar on an outsider. He is favourite for a reason and a very good reason.
“The Grand National was the natural race for him to go for after his win in the Ladbrokes Trophy. He ran very well in the Scottish National as a novice and he is related to some good stayers, so Aintree always looked the natural progression for him. Obviously, Mr Hemmings is no stranger to National glory and the horse was probably bought with Aintree in mind so it is the logical race for him to go for.”
Irish raiders Burrow Saint (7/1) and Any Second Now (10/1) are next in the betting. The former is trained by Willie Mullins and is an out-and-out stayer who landed the 2019 running of the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. Any Second Now hails from the yard of Ted Walsh and is a Cheltenham Festival winner having triumphed in the 2019 running of the Kim Muir. The JP McManus owned nine-year-old warmed up for the race with a taking success over 2m in a Grade 2 at Navan and looks a solid each-way betting proposition in my eyes.
Another very interesting Irish trained runner is Paul Nolan’s Discorama who has attracted steady support in the past week. The eight-year-old has placed on three separate occasions at the Cheltenham Festival during his career. Nolan said: “It’s a bit frustrating that the horse has only won twice in his life considering his talent. He’s won a maiden hurdle and a beginners’ chase, and yet he’s so nearly won some nice races.
“We’ll be dropped out and we’ll hunt him around and hope to God he’ll get into the race at some stage and we’ll take it from there, but you never know with the National. You’re happy if you’re still there with a circuit to go, but hopefully we’ll get a bit of luck. We hope he’s in good form and hopefully he gives Tom Friel and Andrew Gemmell (owners) a good run for their money. So many people spend so much money to just have a runner in the National. This horse was an inexpensive purchase and he’s given the boys some great days out, so they wouldn’t swap him for anything.”
Jockey Conor O’Farrell believes the Grand National is the best chance the David Pipe trained Vieux Lion Rouge will ever have in the race. The 12-year-old has the unique distinction of having completed Aintree’s Grand National course on nine occasions during his career and comes into the race in fine form having produced one of his best efforts to date when winning a second Becher Chase by 24 lengths at the track back in December.
O’Farrell was on board that day and after a solid run in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow in January, he is confident that the veteran can make his presence felt in this year’s race. He told Independent Radio: “We had a great time the last couple of times we were together, so I’m looking forward to getting back on board.
“I’d say this is the best chance he’ll ever have – there’s a lot of very good horses and you wouldn’t say no to owning any of them, but I just think my fella has come of age with the performance he put in to win the Becher. That was fantastic and he ran a solid race in the Welsh National last time out. If he turns up at Aintree in the same sort of form, I think he’ll run a big race. He’s a pleasure to ride and I’m just very grateful to all connections for giving me the chance.”
The weights are headed by popular grey Bristol De Mai who has to shoulder 11st 10lb. His regular rider Daryl Jacob said victory would be “by far the best day I’ve had in the saddle”. Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, the 10-year-old is a top class performer on his day and a three-time winner of the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock. It will be Bristol de Mai’s first appearance over Aintree’s unique Grand National fences, but he has been placed on two occasions at the track on the Mildmay Courseb and jumping is his key strength.
Jacob said: “To get to ride Bristol de Mai in the Grand National is hugely exciting. This is probably going to be his biggest task to date but it’s one we’re relishing as a team. I’ve wanted him to have a crack at this for a while because I’ve always felt that he’s the type of horse – especially in the later years of his career – who’d enjoy it. His jumping is what’s been standing him in good stead and a left-handed flat track around Aintree will suit him really well.
“He ran really well in a tough race at Sandown and I thought that Native River was pretty much back to his best that day. We know his well being is good, he obviously won the Betfair Chase for the third time at the start of the season as well so we’ve deliberately kept him fresh. The best form he can be in is when he’s very fresh and very well and that’s why we’ve laid off him until Aintree. All being well, we’ll have a nice run round and hopefully he can be there or thereabouts.”
2021 Grand National latest odds following final declaration stage: